Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet (Exodus 15:25 NIV).
The place where this happened was Marah which means bitter. The occasion was just three days after the Israelites had crossed the Red sea on dry ground.
The problem was that the Israelites had no water to drink. And when they did find it; it was bitter. So they grumbled against Moses.
Moses did not know what to do. He had six hundred thousand men alone on foot plus the women and children! So he cried out to God. And God answered him. The Lord showed him a piece of wood.
God cared for them even though the people were grumbling: You might have hoped for something in life. When it came it may not have been pleasant as you expected. Are you grumbling today because of that? Instead, cry out to God. He will show you what to do.
Here it was a piece of wood. A simple thing. It might be a good question to ask, “Can such a small piece of wood solve such a huge problem?” Definitely not.
But when God uses it, it is more than enough. The solution to your problem might be an improbable “piece of wood.” But is God showing that to you? If yes, then you can be sure that it will be the solution to your bitter experience.
And when Moses threw it into the water, the water became sweet. The truth is that God does not change your bitter situation. But He shows you that “piece of wood” that can change the bitterness into sweetness.
Therefore do not grumble when you find your most expected things come to you in a bitter package. God can turn that bitterness into sweetness.
Finally, the bitterness is God’s test for you. He wants you to listen to Him and obey Him. When you do so, He’ll turn your bitterness into sweetness.
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More Manna:
Delight Yourself in the LORD and He Will Give You the Desires of Your Heart!